Stationary chemical-mixing fire-extinguisher system



J. W. ENRIGHT. STATIONARY CHEMICAL MIXING FIRE EXTINGUISI IER SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I0. 19].).

Patented Nov 15, 1921 lizuegzz or I (10% idfiz yy neg i it, I if JOHN W. ENRIGHT, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

STATIONARY GHEll/IICAL-MIXING FIRE-EXTINGUISHER SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov.15,1921.

Application filed March 10, 1819. Serial No. 281,689.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN WV. Enrrenr, a citizen of the United States of America,

residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans, and State ofLouisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stationary Chemical-Mixing Fire-Extinguisher Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to stationary chemical mixing fire extinguisher systems.

The invention relates to a system which is devoid of moving mechanical parts and operates automatically under fire emergency conditions and the objects of the invention are to insure the prompt and certain automatic operation of the system and to insure a regular and continuous supply of acid to the alkaline solution, thereby providing for the discharge of substantially the entire volume of alkaline solution at a substantially uniform pressure.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein the figure is a diagrammatic sectional view of a fire extinguisher system in which the features of the invention are incorporated.

The system includes the usual tank 1 for an alkaline solution which is normally maintained under atmospheric pressure and a riser 2 extending from said tank throughout the height of the building, and, in the embodiment disclosed, connected at its upper end to a reservoir 21 in turn connected to the upper end of a stand pipe 22 from which extend the leaders or laterals 3 carrying the sprinkler heads or distributing valves 4. The reservoir 21, pipe 22 and leaders or laterals 3 are filled with an extinguishing l i quid, preferably of a non-freezing variety.

The system also includes an acid receptacle 5 which is preferably arranged in an extension 6 of the tank 1, located at the up per side thereof. The receptacle 5 incloses an acid discharge pipe 7 having at its upper end a gooseneck discharge terminal 8 projecting externally of said receptacle and discharging into an acid reservoir 9. The reservoir 9- discharges into the tank 1 by a pipe 10 in which is arranged a mercury seal 11 whose function is to prevent the acid from passing into the tank until a predetermined quantity, necessary to overcome the mercury of the seal, shall have been trapped in the reservoir 9*, such quantity being suffic1ent to insure the prompt and effective initial discharge of the fire extinguishing liquid at the open sprinkler head or dis tributing valve.

It is to be noted that the vessel in which the acid is permanently stored, viz: the receptacle 5*, has no direct connection with a mercury containing vessel or trap, and, consequently, the necessary protective lining or material of said vessel cannot be attacked by the mercury.

According to the invention the acid discharge is initiated by an elastic fluid pressure impulse transmitted to the surface of the acid in the receptacle 5 and automatically generated'under fire emergency conditions. For the purpose of developing the said pressure impulse, there is provided a reservoir 19 which normally contains a supply of liquid preferably of a non-freezing variety. The stand pipe 22 communicates at its lower end witha vessel 16* which contains a supply of mercury 23 and the reservoir 19 has a pipe 17 extending from its base to the vessel 16 and projecting into the body of mercury 23 in said vessel. The pipe 17 is connected by a branch pipe 15 to a pipe l8 which projects into the extension 6 of the tank 1 and at its lower end is connected to a pipe 12 in turn connected to the upper end of the receptacle 5 The pipe 12 preferably has the same capacity as the reservoir 19 and the reservoir 9. After the tank 1 has been filled with alkaline solution and mercury has been placed in the seal 11 and the vessel 16*, the reservoir 21, pipe 22, and leaders or laterals 3 are filled with the liquid extinguishing agent, the weight of which forces a column of mercury up the pipe 17* to a point above the pipe 151*. Thereupon a suitable liquid is placed in the reservoir 19 in which it is maintained by the mercury column in the pipe 17*.

When a sprinkler head or distributing valve 1 opens under .fire emergency conditions the liquid in the distributing system commences to discharge with the result that after a period, during which fire extiguisher liquid is constantly being delivered, the column of mercury in the pipe 17 falls below the pipe 15 whereupon the liquid in the reservoir 19, flows by the pipe 15 to the pipes 13 and 12, filling the latter. The air displaced from the pipe 12 provide the pneumatic impulse for initiating the disto the mixing of the chemicals passes by the pipe 7 to the receptacle 5 in which it is trapped and becomes effective to eject a fur ther quantity of acid as soon as the pressure in the tank 1 starts to fall. In this way the operation of the system is maintained continuously and at a substantially uniform rate of pressureuntil the receptacle 5 is practically exhausted of its acid contents, it being noted that the pipe 15 'is provided with aicheck valve 24 which closes against backpressure and thus prevents the back flow of. the developed high pressure.

What is claimed is:

1. In a stationary chemical mixing fire extinguisher; system, a tank for an alkaline solution normally under atmospheric pressure, anacid receptable, means set in operation by a pneumatic impulse. for effecting the transfer of acid from said receptacle to said tank, a receptacle to contain liquid, means to transmit said pneumatic impulse and through which said liquid may flow to generate said impulse, a mercury trap for holding said liquid in said receptacle, and fluid means normally holding said trap operative and acting automatically under fire emergency conditions to render said trap inoperative whereby said liquid may pass to said impulse transmitting means.

2. In a stationary chemical mixing fire extinguisher system, a tank for an alkaline solution normally under atmospheric pressure, an acid receptacle, a distributing system connected to said tank and containing a liquid medium, a pipe for discharging acid from' said receptacle to said tank, a mercurytrap normally maintained operative by the fluid in said distributing system, and means, including a body of liquid normally under restraint by said mercury trap, for generating a pneumatic impulse and trans mitting said impulse to the acid receptacle to initiate the discharge of acid therefrom.

3. In a chemical mixing fire extinguisher system, a tank for an alkaline solution normally under atmospheric pressure, a distributing system connected thereto and containing a fluid medium, a liquid receptacle,

a pipe through which the liquid may flow from said receptacle and whlch transmits a pneumatic impulse generated by said liquid, a mercury trap maintained normally operative by the fluid medium in said distributing system for holding the liquid in said receptacle under normal restraint and an acid receptacle operative to discharge acid into the tank and whose operation is initiated by said pneumatic impulse.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence'of two subscribing V witnesses.

JOHN "W. ENR-IGHT.

V Witnesses:

WILLIAM J. EVANS, L. J. Coon. 

